


Shaking hands

by Zoya113



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: F/M, Fluff, anxiety & panic attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-01 13:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20815730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya113/pseuds/Zoya113
Summary: Emma helps Paul through a panic attack





	Shaking hands

**Author's Note:**

> I’m doing a prompt-tober thing but also starting early bc I’m bastard / & also peep those cat on a hot tin roof quotes that I’m slipping in in hopes of remembering them for my literature essay?? Lmao

“Babe, you doing okay?” Emma made a small jog to the couch where Paul was sitting, he was breathing in and out too quickly and jittering in his seat.

“Yeah I’m just-“ he took in a shaky breath and kneeled over with a hand clutched to his chest. He laughed breathily at his own anxiety. “I’m just taking a breather.” 

“You don’t look too fresh,” Emma gave him a small kiss on his temple, pressing up close to his side. She pressed her hand to his cold forehead to test for his temperature. “Your hands are shaking.”

His whole body was, and he was fighting to take in a deep breath. 

“Babe, you’re hyperventilating a bit there.” She slipped her fingers into his trembling hand. “Are you-?” She glanced up at the images on the TV and felt her heart jump a beat before settling again. 

It was some flashy advertisement with a shitty jingle and neon blue, flashing lights, all played over the top of some sort of child’s singing toy. 

She fumbled with the remote to shut it off with a gasp. “Well fuck!” She exclaimed. “That got us good, huh?” She gave his hand a squeeze and leant into him again. “Shit,” she tried to steady the quiver in her voice to calm Paul. “Hey, babe, can you look at me? Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, hah, I’m just,” he bounced his leg nervously against the floor and shut his eyes tight like a child about to be jabbed with a needle. “Wow!” He shook his head and risked opening an eye to look up at Emma but couldn’t quite turn his head the whole way. “Sorry Em! I just-“ he took another short breath. “I was just watching the TV and it really scared me! Just all the, wow! Holy shit!” 

“Yeah, fucking tell about it babe. Can you breathe?” 

“I can breathe I just have to...” he took in a sharp breath through gritted teeth and held it in. “Take a moment...” he finally breathed out, managing to lean back against the couch and rest a hand across his stomach. 

“Paul,” she cuddled herself up on his lap, tucking her head underneath his chin and hugging him. 

He slowly returned the hug and she could feel every rough breath as she pressed her ear to his chest.  
“Sorry Em, I’m doing better now. The music frightened me.” 

“Yeah, I figured. Me too.” 

“I shouldn’t have gotten that scared, it was a bit of an overreaction. I’m sorry. Are you okay?” 

“Am I okay? Ask yourself that first bud.”  
Even as he rested his hands on her back they were twitching. 

“You don’t have to apologise either. And you didn’t overreact! You had the perfect response to seeing that sort of shit on TV. It was actually relatively calm!” 

“Calm?” He snorted. “I thought I was gonna cry. I freaked out. I was a coward.”

“You aren’t a coward, Paul Matthews. You’re the bravest man I know.” 

He patted her one on the back and leaned away from her to look her in the eye. “Hah, me? Well now you’re just saying things,” he rested his head back down on top of hers, holding her close for comfort. 

“No I’m not kidding. Not to be all damsel-in-distress-y but you really are. Every day you’re helping me out with my leg and you listen to me complain about my shitty job and you make meals and you do all this shit for me!” She gave him a gentle punch in the chest. 

“Hey, that’s just my part of the relationship. You help me calm down and you listen to me rant about Ted, and you do the cleaning and the shopping and we’re literally equals,” he countered. “You’re out there being a hero every day. Getting all this shit done, waking up at six five times a week for work and going to school four days a week. You work night shifts and still come home and study and get everything done at home. You’re the real saint here.” He kissed her gently. 

She rolled her eyes with a gentle purr. “That’s sweet of you but that doesn’t make me a saint. Just makes me mega exhausted. You’re the hero. You didn’t even let me get to the part where you went and blew up that meteor.” 

“Correction, I tried. I bet you could’ve blown up that meteor in one go.” 

“Well that’s different. I am fuelled by rage and I would’ve tried to blow up everything in that damn apocalypse if that grenade belt came anywhere near me,” she joked. She took one of his hands in hers and rubbed circles on it with her thumbs until she could hear and feel his breathing grow calmer. “I’m the real villain of this story, babe. Sleep with one eye open,” she added just to get a laugh out of him. She knew he was feeling better now. 

“Well I don’t think of you like that at all, Emma,” he adjusted his head to nestle up against her. 

“Hah, meaning?” 

“If anything,” he tightened his hug and she could feel his heart beat slow down to a resting pace once more. “You’re my hero.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have been fbjshf churning out these uploads for months now & I hope I’m not getting annoying lmao??


End file.
